Birth & Family Life

I spent a weekend in April at the Birth Boot Camp Retreat 2018 in Grapevine, Texas. You may be thinking...woah, Texas is a long ways away from Calgary Alberta. And it is. And it was worth the trip. I was able to see people I chat with online on a daily basis in person for a hug! And it rekindled the fire inside me for birth education.

I fell in love with Birth Boot Camp originally for 3 reasons:

Its a beautiful, evidenced based curriculum that is updated annually.

The support from headquarters and fellow Instructors and Doulas is amazing.

I didn't have to recreate the wheel...reason number 1 is worth two reasons.

What kept me certifying annually (I'm on my fourth year), is the people. The people care about everyone's success. The people are continually evolving...ideas are growing and reshaping as needed. Change can be scary, but staying the same is scarier. Look at our medical system...in many ways standard practices are far behind the evidence based recommendations.

I also love the Birth Boot Camp 10 week Series. The information is all there, the hands on comfort measures and relaxation pieces are there. The chance to discuss the information between the birthing person, their partner and their birth team is so important! The time to let information soak in and reiterate the importance of informed care...priceless. However, it is a long term commitment. And I can only hold so many of the 10 week birth series each year...did you know I'm the only certified Birth Boot Camp Instructor in Canada? More on that in a moment...

Over the past year, Birth Boot Camp Headquarters has developed new series, broken down in a way that people had asked for...meaning they listen to you!! Check out the infographic below that lists all the classes and what's included.

​They are all shorter time frames and are more specific to your birth plans. They are not compressed courses, but are specialized. My great love is still the original Birth Boot Camp 10 Week Series due to its comprehensive nature...but if you're set on having a hospital based birth, the Hospital Birth Series is the one you want! Looking to birth with a low risk midwife at home or in the birth centre? The Out of Hospital Series is made for you. Did you take a birth class with a previous baby and want to reconnect and focus on this one with your partner? Check our the Reboot Class. The Comfort Measures Workshop is a great addition to an informational birth class or a previous birth class (I have a workshop happening May 25, a perfect date night). The Homecoming: Life with a New Recruit class is perfect to reassure yourself with caring for a newborn.

​​As I said before, I'm the only certified Instructor in Canada. I think there are two reasons for this. The dollar exchange rate was much better four years ago and the data is US based. However, I find the quality of the materials far exceed anything else I've seen. Don't expect a photocopied hand out for me, its a beautifully crafted and referenced workbook for each class (check out the snippets of the workbooks within the class pages). The birth videos are all recent, between 2010 and 2017. As an Instructor, you get access to amazing online and phone support, both headquarters and people within the instructor/doula world that want to help you succeed, not tear you down. Birth, pregnancy and material photography is all available to you. The Birth Boot Camp certification process is well laid out with all the readings and work to be completed before your training, so you end up at training with the knowledge and learn how to share that information effectively. The recertification process is not difficult and is set-up to help you build your knowledge and business.

The theme was 'Be Amazing' and I think the list of presenters at the Retreat really set the tone for the event. Listening to what I, a white privileged woman, can do to be a better human being when it comes to women of colour and the systemic racism they are facing in medical system and how its related to the racism that exists in their every day lives was beyond eye opening. I trained with Ebon'Nae Piggee of Royal La Mere Birth Services back in October 2014 and was moved by her words and her compassion. Her presentation has been going through my mind every day since I heard her speak.

There were two panels, one discussing about Vaginal Births After Cesareans (VBACs) with a panel of Instructors and Doulas that have had VBACs. The focus revolved what their best tips were (hello providers that support and understand VBACs) and what we can provide for birthing people considering a VBAC. As someone that does not have the real life experience of a cesarean or a VBAC, I found listening to panel was very informative. It also reminded me that the material in our classes provides a great basis for providing information to parents' considering a VBAC in Calgary.

The second panel was on the topic of processing difficult births. As a doula, I found that every now and then I took trauma away from a birth, even if the family didn't. I also took away some strong feelings with my last birth (twins) and I've been actively working on processing these so I'm not putting these thoughts out to my students. The panel was excellent, providing useful tips and strategies.

Patrica Harman, a midwife author, was there as well selling her books and did two readings for us. It was lovely to hear her stories from her days as a midwife. I shared a couple issues of Birthing Magazine with her and she was thrilled with them.

I'm looking forward to taking part in an Instructor training next year as a refresher. Birth Boot Camp has Instructor and Doula trainings all over the US now, one was even held in Montana! The movement to holding trainings across the US has made it a shorter distance now for travelling to a training...and if there was enough interest, we could host one here in Calgary. If you would like to see the materials or ask questions about what is included or what needs to be done to train as a Birth Boot Camp Instructor and/or Doula, reach out to me! I'm making an evening a week available for meet-ups and if playing with toddlers is cool with you, I can usually meet up one morning per week with kids in tow. There is also a tonne of information available on the Birth Boot Camp website.

Now, are you ready for your amazing birth? Are you ready to support others looking to have an amazing birth? I am!

You are the best, Laurie! I am so glad our paths crossed when they did, and continue to every few years at retreat! Your business and social media tips are always inspiring, and your twin pregnancy/birth expertise is invaluable. You will always be my original BBC roommate and my most favorite Canadian! <3

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